Dr. Alveda King, Black Leaders Call on City Council to Reject Ordinance against Life Saving Pregnancy Centers

Priests for Life

Staten Island, NY – Dr. Alveda King, full-time director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, joined other black civil rights leaders at the Manhattan Bible Church Monday night to address the abortion crisis in New York and the proposal before the City Council to force pregnancy resource centers to post signs designed to discourage women from entering.

“Bill 371 does not represent a compassionate desire to help women; it represents a greedy desire to shut down the abortion industry’s competition,” said Dr. King. “The number of abortions in New York City is actually down, and the abortion lobby’s response is to try to penalize those who are helping women who choose to give birth to their babies.”

Among others at the rally Monday night were Rev. Arnold Culbreath of Protecting Black Life, Rev. Clennard Childress of LEARN, Rev. Catherine Davis of Georgia Right to Life, Rev. Walter Hoye of Issues4Life, and national abstinence educator Dr. LaVerne Tolbert.

“African Americans comprise 24% of the women of child-bearing age and have 47% of the abortions; a vote for Bill 371, plain and simple, is a vote for more abortions, especially among Blacks,” Dr. King concluded.

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, added, “Our ministry assists pregnancy centers nationwide with training, spiritual retreats, and massive publicity efforts. That work is no less present right here in New York. We are grateful for the recent promise of Archbishop Dolan that the Church is ready to help all who are pregnant and in need. We continue to support such efforts here and in every diocese.”

Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.